Snowflake Tea to be held at Wheaton Depot

Friday, January 20, 2012By Lindsay Reed

Area community members are invited to view a collection of fancy vintage needlework pieces during the Wheaton Historical Society's Snowflake Tea on Saturday, Jan. 28. The event will be held at the Wheaton Depot Museum from 2 to 4 p.m.

"We will have a very large collection of needlework items, mostly white fancy work," said event organizer Betty Lamberson. "The collection includes crochet, knitted, tacked and quilted pieces. There will also be some clothing items among the collection."

The Winter White Display has been collected from an assortment of individuals, said Lamberson. The display will include around 300 pieces.

"I used to work for the Joplin Historical Society, and each year they would offer an antique clothing display," said Lamberson. "One year, a friend and I had the opportunity to host a tea with the clothing display. I wanted to try that on a smaller scale here in Wheaton."

In addition to viewing the collection of needlework items, attendees will enjoy tea, punch and refreshments.

"Elizabeth Smith was the wife to the town doctor," said Lamberson. "She lived to be 103 years old and only passed away two years ago. Her daughter will be serving the tea on Elizabeth's silver tea service."

Snowflake Tea attendees will also have the opportunity to view other collections on display at the Wheaton Depot Museum, including a tea pot collection.

Jill Paden, a former Wheaton resident, will showcase a variety of her handmade, original jewelry during the event. Pieces on display will be available for purchase.

"We need to have activities at the museum," said Lamberson. "This will be a way to get people to stop by and see that we do change things in the museum.

"We want people to just wander through and see what we have here," said Lamberson. "This event in particular will give attendees the enjoyment of looking at the work of ladies of our past, which so many of us don't have time to do nowadays."

A $2 donation will be taken at the door for the Snowflake Tea and Winter White Display. Donations will be used for the operations and maintenance of the Wheaton Depot.